Published in the June 11-24, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
Photo by Larry Campbell
Representatives of grant recipient s are, back row, from left: Arron Thomas, Jeff Bettencourt, Lisa DeSilva, Ted Thomas, Jane Oglesby, and Dorothy Ross. Front row, from left: Maria Skoczylasr, Martha McNiel, and Elizabeth Griswold.
At a gala event celebrating the generosity of the South Valley community in supporting worthwhile causes, the Morgan Hill Community Foundation presented grant awards totaling $5,000 May 22, at a private reception at Clos La Chance Winery.
The foundation does a lot of planning and strategizes on how it can fulfill its mission, so the annual grant awards event allows the local community to see that mission in action, said MHCF President Amy Whelan.
“Even more than with our Philanthropy Night, I feel this night is really when we get to enjoy the work that we’ve all joined the foundation to do,” she said. “We get to see our donors, thank them, and connect them to our grant recipients who are more than deserving of all our support. We’re just glad to be the connector in between. It’s a real thrill.”
The Morgan Hill Community Foundation has awarded about $450,000 since its inception in Dec. 2002.
Recipients and their projects that received this year’s grants are:
• South County California Student Opportunity & Access Program (South County Cal-SOAP) for an after-school on-site tutor to serve at-risk high school students at Live Oak High School and Ann Sobrato High School.
• Child Advocates of Silicon Valley (CASA) for an enrichment and educational support program for foster kids in Morgan Hill.
• Christian Counseling Center for therapy art supplies for school counseling.
• Community Solutions for art/play therapy supplies.
• DreamPower Horsemanship for equine facilitated therapy for local veterans.
• EHC LifeBuilders for the Boccardo Family Living Center for homeless case management supplies and elementary student tutoring.
• Gilroy Compassion Center for service needs for homeless day center that supports all South County area.
• Learning & Loving Education Center to expand technology education for preschool program.
This is the fifth annual grant event.
“We’re all working hard, whether as volunteers or employees of the organizations we’re celebrating,” Whelan said. “But to be in a great setting just reminds you that everything about Morgan Hill is great. The location, the work that the people are doing, the generosity of the donors, for me I see it that it all comes together. All the stars align tonight. And our mission isn’t just a statement. It’s got a name, it’s got a face, and it’s about people.”
Among the several recipients, Martha McNiel, the director of Gilroy-based DreamPower, said she was pleased with how the MHCF has enthusiastically provided funds for the Horses for Warriors Program the last two year. This year Dream Power Horsemanship received $700 for this program that helps veterans who have served after 9/11 work with horses to resolve emotional and physical challenges relating to their service. All the services are provided at no cost to the veterans. It is all provided from community donations.
“We have a group for those veterans and we have a support group for wives and spouses of combat veterans,” McNiel said. “We also work with children of deployed military personnel and veterans. And so this grant is to help support those programs for veterans. We truly appreciate the support of the Community Foundation.”
For Lisa DeSilva, chief development officer at nonprofit Community Solutions, the grant award helps young people who face emotional challenges through the purchase of art therapy supplies, toys and book.
“When adults are abused, molested, abandoned and deprived, and they need to express their feelings which is such an important part of the healing process, they need to find the right words — which can be difficult,” she said. “When you’re a child, you don’t even have the words and so you can’t fathom an understanding of it all. To move that healing process along, they do it through games and art projects and play in a very safe environment where kids can then share their feelings and work out their struggles in a way that’s safe and meaningful for them.”
Community Solutions appreciations the fact that through the MHCF local funders can get involved supporting local organizations that add value to the Morgan Hill community, DeSilva said.
“What’s a wonderful thing about this is that the kids that we support through Community Solutions, many of them are helped by DreamPower and using the horse therapy,” she said. “Many of them have Child Advocates. Many of the moms are served by Learning and Loving Center. And so we’re really able to see how that network of resources gets woven together. And the Community Foundation really provides a lot of support to make that happen.”
